Drive arrangement for a feed roller on a loom

ABSTRACT

A drive arrangement for the feed roller used to advance the warp threads required in the weaving process on a loom, which comprises brake means for halting the feed roller, an alternately engageable clutch transmitting rotary movements to the feed roller, drive means for alternately driving the clutch, and a transmission means having a transmission ratio that may be adjusted for connecting the drive means to the clutch.

United States Patent Kunz [151 3,680,598 [4 1 Aug. 1,1972

[54] DRIVE ARRANGEMENT FOR A FEED ROLLER ON A LOOM [72] Inventor:

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[73] Assignee: Ruti Machinery Works, Ltd. formerly Caspar Honegger, Ruti, Z urich, Switzerland Max Kunz, Ruti, Zurich, Switzer- [22] Filed: Dec. 2, 1969 [21] App1.No.: 881,385

[30] Foreign Application Data Dec. 9, 1968 Switzerland ..l8332 [52] US. Cl. ..139/1, 139/25, 139/110 [51] Int. Cl. ..D03d 49/06, D03d 39/22 [58] FieldofSearch ..139/l10, 109,100, 25,102, 139/1, 1 E

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,125,843 1/1915 Hail ..139/25 1,322,671 11/1919 Davis ..139/25 2,645,250 7/1953 Moberg ..139/25 3,422,860 l/1969 Short 139/25 2,888,044 5/1959 Picanol ..139/l FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 601,257 5/1948 Great Britain 139/1 10 116,251 2/ 1958 U.S.S.R. ..139/25 464,111 11/1968 Switzerland ..139/25 649,032 1/ 1951 Great Britain ..139/1 E 1,084,430 9/1967 Great Britain 139/ l E Primary Examiner-James Kee Chi Attomey-Donald D. Denton [57] ABSTRACT A drive arrangement for the feed roller used to advance the warp threads required in the weaving process on a loom, which comprises brake means for halting the feed roller, an alternately engageable clutch transmitting rotary movements to the feed roller, drive means for alternately driving the clutch, and a transmission means having a transmission ratio that may be adjusted for connecting the drive means to the clutch.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PAIENTEmus' H912 3.680.598

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DRIVE ARRANGEMENT FOR A FEED ROLLER ON A LOOM This invention relates to a drive arrangement or apparatus for a feed roller of a weaving machine or loom for advancing the warp threads required in the weaving process, and more particularly to a drive arrangement which incorporates a brake for stopping the feed roller.

In producing a woven fabric, it is important to be able to feed the warp threads to the shed in any quantities or lengths selected, so that the fabric to be produced sufficiently corresponds accurately to the specifications.

Thus, this invention contemplates a drive arrangement for a feed roller capable of achieving this result by providing an alternately engageable clutch that transmits rotary movements to the feed roller, by providing drive means for alternately driving the driving half of the clutch, and by connecting the drive means to the clutch through a transmission arrangement or means having a transmission ratio which can be adjusted as required.

The invention will now be described in more detail by reference to one of its embodiments and to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a drive arrangement or apparatus of this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, taken along line II ll of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, a feed roller 11, having a retentive surface, is used to advance the warp threads by precisely predetermined amounts. The feed roller 11 is firmly connected to the driven half or portion 13 of a clutch 12. The driving half or portion 14 of the clutch 12 can be brought into engagement with the half 13 by means of the clutch linings 15. The plate 14 is moved perpendicularly to its plane for the purpose of engaging and disengaging the clutch. This movement takes place with the help of the lever-arms 16 which can be swung about the fixed pivot 17. The arms 16 are firmly connected to the arm 18 which can likewise be swung about the pivot 17 and which is, in turn, linked to the rod 19. The free ends of the arms 16 are adapted to slide in the groove 20.

A brake comprising a brake strip 21 is for holding the position of the feed roller 11. The brake strip 21 engages half 13 of the clutch 12. It is biased by a spring 22. The spring 22 presses on the lever 23, which is rotatable about a pivot and which is secured to one end of the brake strip 21. The other end of the strip is held by a fixed part of the frame of the loom.

A three-armed lever having arms 24, and 26, is provided for actuating the rod 19 and therefore the clutch plate 14 as well as the brake strip 21. This lever can be swung about the pivot 27. The free end of the arm 24 is guided in the eccentric groove 28 and, when the eccentric element in which the groove is formed rotates, a swinging movement is imparted to arm 24. During this swinging movement, the arm 26 strikes the lever 23 and thereby removes the tension from the brake strip 21 by applying pressure to the spring 22. The arm 25, in turn, strikes the spring 29, so that the rod 19 moves to the right and engages the clutch 12 by swinging the arm 18. When, during its swinging movement in the other direction, the arm 25 presses against element which can be secured at any position along the rod 19, the clutch 12 is released or disengaged.

Finally, also provided is a three-armed lever comprising the arms 31, 32 and 33. This lever can be swung about the pivot 34. The arm 31 is guided by the eccentric cam 35 and is constantly urged against this cam 35 by the compression spring 36. The arm 32 has a slot 37 in which a slide member 38 is slidably fitted. The slide member 38 is detachably secured to the arm 39 which, in turn, is firmly connected to the plate 14 of the clutch 12. When the arm 32 swings, the arm 39 is thus likewise swung, the member 38 sliding in the slot 37, so that the plate 14 executes part-revolutions about the shaft 44. By altering the position of the slide member 38 on the lever 39, the transmission of the swinging movement imparted by the arm 32 to the arm 39 can be varied and set as required.

When the loom is operating, the eccentric arrangement 28, 35 executes one revolution for each revolution of the main shaft of the loom. For each revolution, the lever 24, 25, 26 executes a full swing. As a result of this, the clutch 12 is initially engaged, since in the first place the arm 25 presses against the spring 29. The levers l8 and 16, by pressing the spring 29 and pulling on the bar 19, are caused to rotate once about the pivot 17, so that the plate 14 moves into contact with the plate 13 and is engaged therewith. 1n the meantime, the arm 26 has also moved towards the lever 23. As the lever 24, 25, 26 continues to swing, the lever 23 swings in the clockwise direction and the brake strip 21 is thus released from the brake drum, so that the braking action ceases. Thus, the feed roller is then held only by the clutch 12.

During the movement of theeccentrics 28, 35, the free end of the arm 31 has first of all moved over a cam portion of constant radius. No rotary movement has therefore been executed by the plate 14. After the brake 21 is released, the free end of the lever-arm 31 moves on to a zone of the guide cam 35 in which the cam has a larger radius. The swinging movement of the arm 31, caused by the transfer to a cam portion of greater radius, also causes the arm 32 to be moved, so that, through the slide member 38 and the lever 39, partial revolution of the plate 14 (and of the feed roller 1 1 now coupled thereto) takes place. As the eccentrics 28, 35 continue to rotate, the arm 31 again runs over a portion of constant radius. in the meantime, a return movement of the three-armed lever 24, 25, 26 takes place as the result of the path along which the groove 28 runs. This initially causes the arm 26 to be lifted from the lever 23, so that the brake strip 21 is tightened again by the spring 22, and the brake is actuated. Thereupon, due to the arm 25 striking the element 30, the clutch 12 is disengaged again through the members l9, l8 and 16. Then, because of the shape of the cam 35, i.e. a reduction in its radius, the three-armed lever 31, 32, 33 and, thus, the clutch plate 14 are also caused to swing back into the original position.

It will thus be seen that the feed roller 11 is continuously held by the drive arrangement described. By the provision of a clutch 12 and an adjustable transmission ratio (made possible by the element 32, 38 and 39) the distances over which the warp threads are advanced can be selected as required.

It is in principle also possible to dispense with the control of the brake 21. Since in an arrangement of this kind, the grip of the clutch l2 (i.e. the grip between the driving half or portion 14 and the driven half or portion 13) is greater than the braking force, the feed roller 11 is actuated by the clutch by slipping on the brake. With this arrangement too, the amount of warp thread supplied can be readily adjusted as required, and the feed roller is likewise constantly held.

The illustrated arrangement is particularly suitable for terry looms, i.e. it is particularly suitable for actuating the pile warp threads. For this application there is additionally provided the stop .40. If necessary two stops 40 and 41, or still more, can be provided. These stops can be swung about the pivot 42.

When, during rotation of the eccentrics 28, 35, the arm 31 moves on to the zone where the cam 35 is of reduced radius, it swings, together with the arm 33, in the anti-clockwise direction. If the stop 40 is then disposed in the pathof the end portion 43 of arm 33, the end portion strikes the stop 40. This causes the free end of the arm 31 to lift from the guide cam 35, and the pivoting of the lever 31, 32 and 33 is smaller than when arm 31 remains constantly in contact with the cam 35. Thus, when the arm 31 is lifted again by the cam 35 the rotation of the feed roller 11, and thus the amount of warp thread advanced also become smaller. The move ment of the stop 40 into and out of the path of the end portion 43 is preferably achieved by means of the shedforming mechanism of the loom.

lt will be understood that in the operation of weaving a terry, in whichthe pile warp threads are advanced by v the feed roller 11-, a terry loop is to be formed after each third weft weft thread, i.e. after each third revolu tion of the main shaft of the loom. In such a case, the stop 40 is so positioned that when it is acting as a stop for the end portion 43, feeding of the warp threads'occurs which corresponds to the amount of feed in the normal weaving process, i.e. in plain weaving. Then, if the terry loops are to be formed after each third weft, the stop 40 is moved out of thepath of the portion 43 when these weft insertions take place. Under these conditions the lever 31, 32, 33 executes a full swing and so causes the warp threads to advance over a greater distance. it is well known that the known, standard terry looms do not offer the possibility of operating in this'manner.

The provision of further stops, e.g. of the additional stop 41, which can likewise be moved at choice into the path over which the end portion 43 swings, offers the possibility of adjusting the equipment to give a further predetermined warp feed incremenLSuch method of operation is used, for example, if different pile levels are to be formed in the fabric to be produced. In this case, the stop 40 determines the feed for plain weaving and the stop 41 determines the feed for when the pile is short, whereas no stop is used in the case of a large pile. The stop 41 is also advantageously actuated by the shed-forming mechanism of the loom.

What is claimed is:

1. A drive arrangement for the feed roller for advancing the warp threads required in the weaving process on a loom, said arrangement comprising brake means for halting the feed roller, an alternately engageable clutch control means for transmitting rotary movements to the feed roller, said clutch control means having a driven portion and a driving portion and brake actuating means operatively connected to said brake ments linked to the feed roller take place, a drive means for alternately driving the driving portion of the clutch control means, and a transmission means having a transmission ratio that may be adjusted as required for connecting the drive means to the driving portion of the clutch control means.

2. The drive arrangement of claim 1 in which during each of the alternate actuations of the clutch and the brake means, the actions of the clutch and of the brake means overlap in time.

3. The drive arrangement of claim 1 in which a movable control means is provided for controlling the brake means and the clutch, and the movement of said control means in one direction causes the clutch not to be engaged after release of the brake, while movement tric, rotation of the eccentric imparting swinging movements to the first arm, the second arm effecting engagement and disengagement of the clutch, and the third arm effecting application and release of the brake means.

5. The drive arrangement of claim 4 in which the second arm alternately brings the driving portion of the clutch into the engaged and disengaged position in rhythmwith the swinging movements of said first arm, and the third arm alternately moves a lever, biased by a biasing means for the purpose of closing the brake means, against said biasing means, in rhythm with the swinging movements.

6. The drive arrangement of claim 4 in which said portions of said clutch include two rotatable discs and the drive means comprises a two-armed drive lever;

another eccentric for imparting swinging movements to the first arm of said lever when the eccentric rotates; and the second arm of said lever being kinetically connected to the driving disc of the clutch to impart rotary movements thereto, the transmission ratio between the second arm and the driving disc being adjustable.

7. The drive arrangement of claim 6 for a terry loom in which said eccentric is an eccentric cam, the first arm is biased towards said eccentric cam by a biasing means, and the two-armed drive lever is solidly connected to a third arm which, when said two-armed lever swings, swings over a path into which at least one stop member can be selectively moved, said stop member stopping the return movement of the drive lever at positions corresponding to radii of the eccentric cam that are below a predetermined value.

8. The drive arrangement of claim 7 in which the movement of the stop member into and out of the path over which the third arm swings is controllable by the operation of a shed-forming mechanism forming a part of the loom.

9. The drive arrangement of claim 6 in which both 

1. A drive arrangement for the feed roller for advancing the warp threads required in the weaving process on a loom, said arrangement comprising brake means for halting the feed roller, an alternately engageable clutch control means for transmitting rotary movements to the feed roller, said clutch control means having a driven portion and a driving portion and brake actuating means operatively connected to said brake means for alternately releasing the brake means at least during the period of time in which the rotary movements linked to the feed roller take place, a drive means for alternately driving the driving portion of the clutch control means, and a transmission means having a transmission ratio that may be adjusted as required for connecting the drive means to the driving portion of the clutch control means.
 2. The drive arrangement of claim 1 in which during each of the alternate actuations of the clutch and the brake means, the actions of the clutch and of the brake means overlap in time.
 3. The drive arrangement of claim 1 in which a movable control means is provided for contRolling the brake means and the clutch, and the movement of said control means in one direction causes the clutch not to be engaged after release of the brake, while movement of said control means in the reverse direction causes the brake means not to be applied after disengagement of the clutch.
 4. The drive arrangement of claim 3 in which the movable control means comprises a three-armed control lever, the first arm of which is guided by an eccentric, rotation of the eccentric imparting swinging movements to the first arm, the second arm effecting engagement and disengagement of the clutch, and the third arm effecting application and release of the brake means.
 5. The drive arrangement of claim 4 in which the second arm alternately brings the driving portion of the clutch into the engaged and disengaged position in rhythm with the swinging movements of said first arm, and the third arm alternately moves a lever, biased by a biasing means for the purpose of closing the brake means, against said biasing means, in rhythm with the swinging movements.
 6. The drive arrangement of claim 4 in which said portions of said clutch include two rotatable discs and the drive means comprises a two-armed drive lever; another eccentric for imparting swinging movements to the first arm of said lever when the eccentric rotates; and the second arm of said lever being kinetically connected to the driving disc of the clutch to impart rotary movements thereto, the transmission ratio between the second arm and the driving disc being adjustable.
 7. The drive arrangement of claim 6 for a terry loom in which said eccentric is an eccentric cam, the first arm is biased towards said eccentric cam by a biasing means, and the two-armed drive lever is solidly connected to a third arm which, when said two-armed lever swings, swings over a path into which at least one stop member can be selectively moved, said stop member stopping the return movement of the drive lever at positions corresponding to radii of the eccentric cam that are below a predetermined value.
 8. The drive arrangement of claim 7 in which the movement of the stop member into and out of the path over which the third arm swings is controllable by the operation of a shed-forming mechanism forming a part of the loom.
 9. The drive arrangement of claim 6 in which both eccentrics have the same rotational speed as the main shaft of the loom when the shaft is operating and are disposed on the same spindle. 